Resilient wheel



June 7, 1932. N. VELTRI 1,862,288

RESILIENT WHEEL Filed Jan. 27, 1951 2 Sheets-sheet 1 ATTORN EYS N.VELTRI RES ILI ENT WHEEL `lune 7, 1932.

2 sheds-sheet 2 Filed Jan. 27., 1951 Patented .lune 17, 1932 NICOLASVELTRI, OF NEW YORK, N'. Y.

'RESILENT WHEEL Application led January 27, 1931. Serial No. 511,456.

This invention relates to improvements in during operation yand withconsequent dewheels and more particularly to vehicle crease inlikelihood of 'breakage and in inwheels for trucks and automobiles. ltis stability of the wheel. It is a further advanaddressefr to resilientwheel construction. tage of this invention that the resilient parts Anobject of the invention is te provide a are so arranged with respect toone another 5.5 strong and durable vehicle wheel which is as to. givestrength and/uniform` resilience of simple construction and easy tomanufacg at all parts cf the wheel during revolutions ture and which hasinherent in its constructhereof. Further insuring uniformity of tionresiliency and elasticity and cushioning resilience and smoothness ofriding, this in" effect in preventing shocks and jars incident ventionis adapted preferably tothe arrangen to travel on rough roads from'being transment of circularly arranged parallel rows of ferred to thebody portion of the vehicle or elliptical spring members in AstaggeredrelaaXles thereof. lt is a further object to protion to one another.

vide a cushioning effect, and resulting comlt is a further feature ofthis. invention that E fort to passengers and saving of the vehicle boththe resilient spring rim members and the 65 from damage by jars andjolts, even where radially resilient spokes above described opsolidtires are used so that the strength, econerate not only as resilientcompression omy, and non-puncturing properties of solid springs but asresilient tension springs as tires may be enjoyed without experiencingwell, thus distributing load and shocks to the discomfort and damagingeffect of their many resilient members of the wheel both extremely hardriding characteristics. below and above the hub of the wheel. This lt isa feature of this invention that a series affords great strength anddurability with et elliptical springs. are jointed substantiallyrelative lightness of parts and tends to give circularly about the hubof a wheel and that the wheel increased resilience. i radially resilientspokes connect the elliptical lt is a further feature of' this inventionthat 75 springs to the hub. A continuous flexible resilient constructionabove .described may rim is maintained in position outside of said beused in combination or in connection With series of jointed ellipticalspring members. flexible rims which are demountable. Ac-

A solid rubber tire, for example, maybe cording to this invention, areadily demountmounted on the rim. y able rim facilitating tire changesvmay be a 80 lft is a further feature of this invention that cooperatingmember of a resilient wheel., a series of opposed elliptical springmembers Further purposes, novel features, and admay be jointed so as toform a series of full vantages will appear in the following descrip;elliptical springs arranged so as to form a tion of this invention inconnection with the iii substantially continuous circular exterioraccompanying drawings wherein about; the hub of the wheel. Moreover,Figure l is a sideview of a wheel embodyradially resilient spokescomprising coil 0r ing this invention 5` helical springs emanating fromthe hubmay Fig. 2 is an enlarged section taken on the be attached tosaid full elliptical springs at line 2*-2 of Fig. l showing a fragmentof the about the mid point thereof and topoints of rim; jointure betweensaid 'full elliptical springs Fig. 3 is a developed fragmentary view ofso as to form a vehicle which is highly repart of the rim taken on theline 3.-3 of silient both in spokes and in rim. Fig. l;

It is an advantage of this invention that Fig. Al is an enlargedsectional view of one i5 by combining resilient elliptical spring con ofthe points of jointure of the rim taken on struction at the rim withresilient coil spring the linee-Li of Fig. 3.; construction emanatingfrom the hub,l a high Fig. 5 is a fragmentary section of part ofl`degree of resiliency can be obtained and atthe hub taken on the line 5 5of Fig l tendant easy riding properties, withy rela- Fig. 6 is a sideview of a wheel embodying tively small distortion of the individualparts a modified form of this invention;

Fig. is an enlarged section taken on the line 7-7 of Fig. 8;

8 is a fragmentary view of a portion of the rim taken on the line 8-8 ofFigv 6;

Fig. 9 is an enlarged sectional view of a point of jointure taken on theline9-9 of F 8; and j Fig. 10 is a fragmentary section of part of thehub taken on the line 1iO-l() of Fig. 6.

In the preferred embodiment of this invention shown in Figs. 1, 2, 8, land 5, a 1ilurality of long coil springs 10 and shorter coil springs l1are attached in pairs to hub 12 forming radially resilientspokes.Springs 10 and 11 of each of the pairs of coil springs emanate from hub12in substantiallythe same radial direction but are alternately placedin reversed position. Long springs 10 and short springs l1 are arrangedalternately in one series adjacent one end of hub 12 while anotherseries is arranged alternately and adjacent the other end of said hn Thecoil springs l() and 11 may be secured by means of eyes 25 affixed tohub 12.

Disposed about hub 12 are arranged sul stantially circularly a series ofointed elliptical spring members 18, jointed by joining means consistingof clips le.

lt is to be understood that the term elliptical is not to be regarded inthe specification or claims as defining spring members shaped exactly inthe form of a portion of a true ellipse, as it is apparent that springmembers shaped in the form of segments of circles or other analogouscurved forms would serve a similar purpose.

Opposed to elliptical spring members 18 are elliptical spring members 17which are also jointed atY clips 14. Members 17 and 18 taken togetherform in effect a series of jointed full elliptical springs havingsubstantially circular exterior about hub 12. In the preferred formshown in Figs. 1-5 there are two parallel series of full ellipticalsprings arranged in staggered relation to one another.

Long springs 10 are secured at their outer ends to eyes 18 mounted onclips 11i. Shorter springs 11 are secured at their outer ends to eyes 15mounted on shackles 16 at substantially the mid portion of springmembers 17.

Leaves 9A; reinforce spring members 18. Spring members 17 are reinforcedby inner leaves 26 and outer leaves 27. Leaves 26 and 27 are maintainedin position by shackles 16, secured by means of shackle bolts 28 andnuts 29.

Clips le are of such construction i part 'thereof forms shackles 19 forspring members 18 and reinforcing leaves 24;. Clips 14 have curledportions Q0 thereon which engage pins 21. Curled end portions 22 onspring members 18 lengage pin-s 21 as do also curled end portions23 onspring members 17. This arrangement aords jointed connection Lacassebetween adjacent full elliptical springs of one parallel series thereofcomposed of members 17 and 18 and also allor-ds shackles for staggeredlydisposed spring members 18 of the other series. Pins 21 may be providerwith heads 60 on one end and small pins 6l in a hole in the other end tomaintain them in position.

Fitting outside of the jointed elliptical spring members 18 is acontinuons flexible rim 81 on which may be mounted solid tire 80, of anysuitable material such as rubber.

It is one of the features of this invention that rim 81 is demountablewith respect to spring members 18. This may be accomplished by removablelugs and bolts 34- which are countersunk in shackles 19 of clips 14.Lugs 82, when fastened by nuts 88 and bolts 34:, co-operate with lips 67of clips 14 to securely hold rim 81 in position. By unscrewing nuts 83and removing lugs 32, the rim can readily be removed. ther means thanthat shown of mounting rim 81, either Xedly or demountably, may beemployed cording to this invention.

The rim 31 may be made of a flexible metal. While rim 31 has beenreferred to continuous, it is to be understood that rims may be usedaccording to this invention having breaks therein, such, for example, asare commonly provided on demountable ims to enable the rim to becollapsed somewhat in the replacement of tires. Moreover, otherl formsand styles of rims may be employed according to this invention and othermeans than retaining walls 68 may be employed to maintain a tirethereon.

Coil springs 10 and 11 and spring members 17 and 18 are placed inposition so that there is substantially no strain either of coinpressionor of tension placed hereon, other than that occasioned by the loadborne by the wheel. When a load is placed upon the wheel it is appar-entthat the load and also shocks imparted to the wheel will be distributed.vThe coil springs and elliptical springs adjacent the point of rollingcontact at the bottom of the wheel will be compressed While the coilsprings and elliptical springs at the opposite side of the hub will nesub jected to tension. This construction whereby load is borne bothabove and below the hub promotes resiliency and affords greatstrengthand durability with relative lightness of arts.

A modified form of my invention is shown in Figs. 6, 7, 8, 9 and 10.

In this embodiment of my invention long coil springs 85 and short coilsprings 3G are alternately attached about hub 87, being secured theretoby eyes 6a mounted on hub 87. Moreover, in this embodiment there is buta single series of elliptical springs circularly disposed about hub 87.

A series of elliptical spring memliers 42 jointed at clips 4l aredisposed substantially circularly about hub 37. Elliptical springmembers 43 are oppositely curved to members 42 and are also jointed atclips 4l. Spring members 42 are reinforced by inner leaves 47. Springmembers 43 are reinforced by inner leaves 49 and outer leaves 50.

Leaves 49 and 50 are maintained in position on spring members 43 byshackles 39 fastened in place by shackle bolts 52 and nuts 53. Leaves 47are maintained in position on spring members 42 by shackles 5l.

Curled members 44 of clips 4l engage pins 45. Curled end portions 46 onspring members 42 engage pins 45 as do also curled end portions 48 onspring members 43 thus affording freely movable jointure. Pins 45 may beprovided with heads at one end and small pins 66 in holes at the otherend' thereof to hold them in position.

Each of the short coil springs 3G is attached to eyes 38 fastened toshackles 39. Each of the long springs 35 is attached to eyes 40 fastenedto clips 41.

In order to strengthen the wheel against side thrust, coil springs 35and 36 may be secured to hub 37 alternately at points adjacent eitherend of said hub.

In order to further strengthen the full elliptical springs composed ofspring members 42 and 43 light coil springs 54 may be employed' whichmay be attached by eyes 55 to shackle bolts ,52 and by eyes 5G toshackles 5l.

A demountable rim 57 on which solid tire 58 is mounted, of any suitablematerial such as rubber, may be secured in position by lugs 59. Lugs 59may be tightened to position or released and removed by turning nuts 62on bolts 63 countersunk in shackles 5l.

While this invention has been described in connection with the specificembodiments shown in the drawings, it is to be understood that this hasbeen d'one merely for convenience in description and for purposes ofillustration, and that the true scope of this invention is not to beregarded as limited thereby.

I claim:

l. A vehicle wheel comprising a hub, a plurality of jointed fullelliptical springs arranged with a substantially circular exterior aboutsaidhub, a continuous rflexible rim litting over said circularlyarranged jointed full elliptical springs, and radially resilient spokesattached at their inner lends to said hub and attached at their outerends alter'- nately at the mid portions of said full elliptical springsand at points of jointure between said full elliptical springs.

2. A vehicle wheel comprising a hub, a first series of elliptical springmembers arranged substantially circularly about said hub, jointing meansbetween individual spring members of said series, a continuous flexiblerim bers of said series, a continuous flexi outside of said jointedspring members, means for maintaining said 'rim in position, a'secondseries of elliptical spring members oppositely curved to the springmembers of said first series and ointed by the aforesaid ointing means,and a plurality of radially extending coil springs attached at theirinner ends to said hub and at their outer ends alternately to saidsecond series of elliptical spring members at about the midpoint thereofand to said j ointing means.

y 3. A vehicle wheel comprising a hub, a-irst series of ellipticalspring members arranged substantially circulaily about said hub, jointling means between individual spring memtble rim outside of said jointedspring members,means for maintaining said rim inposition, a lsecondseries of elliptical spring members oppositely curved to the springmembers of said lirstV series and jointed by the aforesaid jointingmeans, radially extending coil springs `attached to said ellipticalspring members of said first and second series thereof at about the midpoints thereof, and a plurality of radially extending coil springsattached at their inner ends to said hub and at their outer endsalternately to said second series of elliptical spring members at aboutthe mid point thereof and to said jointing means.

4. A vehicle wheel comprising a hub, a first series of elliptical springmembers jointed at jointing means and arranged substantially circularlyabout said hub, shackles at about the mid point of said spring members,a continuous flexible rim outside of said spring members, means attachedto said shackles of said first series of springs for holding said rim inposition, a second series of elliptical spring members oppositely curvedto said first spring members and jointed at points of jointurecorresponding to points of jointure of said iirst series of springmembers,

shackles at about the mid point 0f said 5. A vehicle wheel comprising ahub, twop parallel series of full elliptical springs in staggeredrelation to one another, a plurality of radially resilient spokesattached at their inner ends to said hub adjacent to one end of said huband attached at their outer ends,

alternately to points of juncture between adjacent full ellipticalsprings of one of said series thereof and to mid portions of saidsprings of said series, and a plurality of radially resilient spokesattached at their inner` ends adjacent to the other end of said hub andalternately at their outer ends to points of juncture between adjacentfull elliptical springs of the other of Said series thereof and to midportions of said springs of said other series.

6. A vehicle Wheel comprising a hub, two parallel series of jointed fullelliptical springs in staggered relation to one another disposed withsubstantially circular exterior about said hub, a leXible rim littingover said parallel series of jointed elliptical springs and radiallyextending helical springs attached at their inner ends to said hub andat their outer ends some to points of jointure between said fullelliptical springs and others to points about mid position of said fullelliptical springs.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification.

NICOLAS VELTRI.

